


I'm All Ears (as long as you speak up)

by violentcheese



Series: Prompts [4]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Eggsy is mostly deaf in one ear, Fluff, M/M, Merwin, Mild Angst, Prompt Fill, hard of hearing character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 05:23:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4423025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violentcheese/pseuds/violentcheese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompy from aceunwins of tumblr: </p><p><strong>hoh eggsy au where ppl only found out from a kingsman medeval eggsy was actually deaf in one ear since birth bc he taught himself how to lip read to cover what he couldn’t hear </strong> </p><p>Pretty much what it says on the tin, with Eggsy explaining why he won't use a hearing aid to Merlin, with bonuses kisses!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm All Ears (as long as you speak up)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hard of hearing myself since birth, this is based mostly off my own experiences with having a hard time hearing things. Eggsy is against using a hearing aid himself but (like me!!) he is pro-hearing aid if that's what works for you.

As someone who’s hard of hearing, life isn’t particularly _hard_ , it’s more **frustrating** than anything else. Eggsy remembers his early childhood as snatches of conversation, words seeming to run together in a way that left him struggling to comprehend their meanings. By the time his Dad was gone and a man in a suit was handing him a medal, Eggsy had picked up lip reading enough that he could comfortably watch the television on mute and still understand most of the plot. Lip reading serves him well enough all through childhood, adolescence, even well into his Kingsman training. It makes up for being mostly deaf in one ear enough that no one catches on. 

He doesn’t tell anyone, and none of the other agents seem to put together his head tilting (which Rox likens him to a puppy for, but she just thinks it’s a cute habit he has and he isn’t about to change her mind) and his over-use of the question ‘what?’. It’s fine, he can pass it off on the other agent in question with a quick ‘christ mate, you was mumblin’, how’d you expect anyone t’hear ya? Speak up, yeah?’. They don’t even factor in that he stares at everyone lips all the bloody time. One of the techies had thought Eggsy was flirting with him- ‘what d’you mean starin’ at someone’s mouth means they want t’kiss ya? ‘- which does lead to a nice date but nothing more. 

It’s actually Percival who pieces everything together first which.. Doesn’t surprise Eggsy at all once he thinks about it. Percy’s one of the most observant Kingsman agents, it being a necessary skill for a sniper. He doesn’t say anything to their Gawain though, he simply does all that he can to stay on Eggsy’s good side when they chat, even when they share a mission Percival sets up his rifle on Eggsy’s good side so they can chat while they wait for their mark. He keeps his face half-turned to Eggsy at all times when he speaks, though his concentration might be elsewhere- he knows to, to let him to lipread. Eggsy narrows his eyes at him when he realises that’s what’s going on but Percival only shrugs and let’s sleeping dogs lie. They don’t talk about it past that silent communication but there’s a reason that Percival gets an extra muffin on Eggsy's baking days. 

Merlin doesn’t notice, at first. The earpieces remove the need for Eggsy to ask Merlin to repeat his words as they’re loud enough that he can make out every word. It’s not until Eggsy’s got his arse plonked firmly on the examination table down in the med bay that Merlin is enlightened. He’s just finished his annual med exam, is waiting for Merlin to bring in his results and discuss any changes he’ll need to make before he can go back into the field the next time. Eggsy’s fairly sure he got away with his hearing test- he has every year for the past three years. He’s been waiting ages though, he’s bored and he’s resting his good ear against one palm. He doesn’t notice Merlin in the doorway off to one side.

Merlin who’s been calling his name for the last five minutes, frowning. Eggsy’s not showing any of the small muscle tenses that indicate when someone is simply pretending not to hear. 

It dawns on Merlin that with the ear he’s used to having pointed his direction covered up, Eggsy _can’t actually hear him_.  
He leaves again, goes searching, digs about in the med supply cabinets for a few minutes. When he finally pushes himself into Eggsy’s space, Eggsy jumps. He didn’t hear Merlin coming. 

“Jesus, you move like a ghost,” Eggsy breathes when he sees who it is. he pauses, reading Merlin’s expression. He looks annoyed. “.. Merlin?”

He gets no answer beyond one big palm holding out a hearing aid, a small one that looks like their mission earpieces but Eggsy can tell the difference. He blanches, which Merlin is not expecting. Merlin isn’t also expecting the way Eggsy growls “piss off,” and pushes past him, knocking the hearing aid to the floor in the process. He wasn’t expecting gratitude or joy, perhaps just a quiet acceptance of the device? Merlin is confused because Eggsy looked.. Eggsy looked hurt.   
Feeling awfully guilty, Merlin leaves Eggsy alone for a little while to cool down before he goes to.. Apologise? Try again? He isn’t sure yet. He finds the lad pounding out miles on the treadmill and knows then that he’s come to apologise for definite. Before he can, though, Eggsy’s speaking. 

“Sorry for pushin’ you,” he sighs, tumbling off the treadmill elegantly and sauntering up to his mentor. “D’you know what you did wrong?” Merlin shakes his head in silence, Eggsy nods understandingly. 

“S’okay. You can hear all proper like, you wouldn’ understand what just up an’ shovin’ a hearing aid at someone’s face who can’t hear means to them.” 

“I insulted you,” Merlin interrupts. That’s plain to see now, it’s written all over Eggsy’s expressive face. “I’m not sure how but I did, lad. Aye, and I’m sorry. What does it mean?” 

“That yous think we’re broken,” Eggsy’s jaw jumps a little as he flexes it, crosses his arms. He hates talking about this. “That we need fixin’ or sumfin’. Yous all fink ‘well if you can’t see you get glasses, why not get a hearin’ aid if you can’t hear proper?’. It ain’t that simple.” 

“Isn’t it? Surely having an aid would make life much easier?” Merlin knows to tread carefully with his words. He wants to understand, he doesn’t want to make the same mistake again. “Deaf people, if they can, usually get an aid if they can, no?.”

“Most do, yeah, if they can. If it works for 'em. But I’m not Deaf,” Eggsy sighs. “I just can’t hear so well. None of us is broken, I ain’t got nuffin’ against wearin’ an aid but it ain’t for me, y’know? I get along just fine without one. Have since I was jus’ a kid. You didn’ even notice, no one did! An’ then you come bargin’ in all saviour-like, handin’ me a hearin’ aid as if I ain’t just fine wivout one!” Eggsy throws his hands up before deflating and curling in on himself. Merlin isn’t truly to blame, he didn’t know. Didn’t do it to hurt him. 

“I.. Well. If hearing aids are out, is there another way I can..” Merlin stops himself from saying ‘help’ just in time. Eggsy’s stormy look tells him that wouldn’t be a good ending to his question. “Accommodate you?” He tries, wincing. 

But it’s the right ending, making Eggsy crack a small smile. Merlin answers with his own- how can he resist? The lad’s smile is as bright as warm sunshine and twice as uplifting.

“Just keep on my good side, face me as much as you can. Keep those lips where I can see ‘em, yeah?” Eggsy winks, all over-the-top and dramatic, shooting Merlin finger guns nd everything. They laugh together at his antics and with that the anger and hurt is gone. 

“I’ll do what I can, cheeky brat. Now are you coming to discuss your results or not? I’ve got some good news…”

~~~

And that’s that. Eggsy has no definite proof, but he’s fairly sure that Merlin spoke with the other agents, or emailed them, something, when a few weeks later no one stands on his deafened side if they can help it. It’s not made a big deal of and thank _fuck_ for that. Eggsy, of course, does the proper thing and thanks Merlin with a kiss and a whole batch of muffins for himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Violentcheese on tumblr, you all know the drill! Enjoy :)


End file.
